Capillary gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of histamine in tuna fish causing scombroid poisoning

A documented case of "scombroid poisoning" is reported by confirming the presence of high histamine levels in fresh tuna fish tissues by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. Histamine is confirmed by in situ trimethylsilylation of the tissue extract on a 12-m SP 2100- fused-silica capillary column connected directly to a mass spectrometer ion source operated in the positive ion chemical ionization mode using methane as reactant gas. The trimethylsilyl derivative of histamine is readily resolved by a high-resolution fused-silica capillary column and confirmed in the complex tissue extract by this very simple but specific procedure.